Stranded
by jazzlite
Summary: //Drabbles// After doing battle on the high seas, two shipwrecked enemies must learn to work together before they can go back to killing each other... Zuko/Toph
1. Boundaries

**A/N:** I love the Zoph combo a lot, but it seems like there aren't enough opportunities for the couple to nurture their practically nonexistent relationship. Maybe being stranded on a deserted island will give them some time to bond… Rated for themes to come.

**Disclaimer:** Actually, I DO own Avatar: the Last Airbender. Just not the characters. Or the original storyline. Or the legal rights.

-

-

-

-

-

**Boundaries**

-

-

-

"Well this is just _dandy_…" Toph kicked a stray pebble into the solid rock face before her, creating a small dint on its façade. "Stranded on a deserted island with _you_ of all people—how ironically cliché is that!"

"You're telling me…"

"At least be original!" she said, shaking her fist at the clear sky.

Zuko disregarded the tiny earthbender, focusing mind, body, and soul on the task beforehand. He dragged a soggy rod found from the scattered remains of his rowboat across the sand, until a thick, distinctive line was set.

"What are you doing?" Toph asked, clearly annoyed.

He simply ignored her, finishing his line before tossing the stick aside. He wiped his hands against his tattered, burgundy pants, with a clean scowl firmly in place.

"That," he said, pointing at the sand, "is a border. Everything on that side of the island is yours, and everything on this side is mine."

She crossed her arms and narrowed her unseeing eyes. "Fine."

"Fine," he said, glaring back.

It was going to be a _long_ day…


	2. Watch Out for Snake Goats!

**A/N:** Well, here's another one-shot (ish) thingy, so have fun with it, don't run with scissors, stay in school, and remember! Just say NO.

-

-

-

-

-

**Watch Out for Snake Goats!**

-

-

-

They lied sprawled on the sand next to each other, each trying desperately to catch their breaths. The ocean tide lapsed at their sweating forms, spraying salty foam against their faces, but neither really cared. Their thoughts wandered elsewhere.

"That," Toph finally said, lolling her head slowly to the prince, "was unbelievable."

"I know," Zuko said, meeting her glazed green eyes. "Boy, do I know…"

While he still vacantly watched her, Toph turned her gaze to the sun, basking in its warmth. Tremors began to rack her body suddenly, and she turned back to Zuko with a look of desperation in her eyes.

"Right now?" he asked as comprehension dawned. "At least let me catch my breath."

"No time." She shook her head forcefully. "Now."

And all of a sudden, the giant snake goat that had been chasing them for the past few hours emerged from the depths of the bordering jungle. With a snarl, it released a feral roar, charging at the fatigued benders with intent to kill.

"That's it!" Zuko shouted. He jumped off the ground with an enraged look in his eye. Toph, on the other hand, remained where she was, deciding to act as moral support. She _was_ awfully tired from running, after all.


	3. Smooth Sailing

**A/N:** And here's what everyone else is doing in the meantime…

-

-

-

-

-

**Smooth Sailing**

-

-

-

Katara felt uneasy. She paced the tin cabin of the Fire Nation ship almost frantically. They never should have allowed Toph to lead the attack at Serpent's Pass. They should have been there for her, or at least have let her do battle on solid ground.

"Katara," Aang spoke gently. She ignored him.

"Hey, Katara," Sokka said, a bit more forcefully. "Calm down. Toph wouldn't want you worrying yourself sick over this."

The waterbender stopped her pacing, rubbing the throbbing bridge of her nose. "I can't help it, Sokka. What if the rumors are true? What if it was Zuko leading the fleet instead of General Chang like we thought?"

"Toph's tougher than anybody I know," Aang said as he walked over to Katara. A large, silly grin stuck to his face, inevitably causing her to smile as well. "We're gonna find her, Katara. And if the rumors _are_ true, I'd be more worried about Zuko than anyone else."


	4. Sticks and Stones

**A/N:** I'm caught up with the new Avatar season, my ardor for the show is rekindled, as is my mistress muse (I don't really talk like that!—no one should talk like that! It's freaky!). But I'm a little spastic right now, so I'm gonna stop with the Author's Note before I scare any(more) readers.

-

-

-

-

-

**Sticks and Stones**

-

-

-

"I saw that!" she fumed, launching yet another giant boulder at Zuko, the loathsome prince of the firecrackers! "This is _my_ side of the island! If you're not gonna follow your own rules, Princess, DON'T SUGGEST THEM!"

Unfortunately, he dodged it by hurdling himself off the ground. As his body flipped through the air, he sent forceful blasts of fire from his feet, managing to singe a bit of Toph's already dilapidated clothing before she blocked them with a stone shield. Behind the barrier, the earthbender made small motions with her fingers, manipulating tiny pebbles from the shield, and shot them forth like bullets. Zuko used his flaming hands to evade the blows, though some had penetrated his defenses and left behind little cuts along his bare torso.

All he'd done was retrieve a twig that had landed _not even_ an inch over the sand-engraved border; it was hardly a declaration of war!

With a snarl Zuko finally managed to shout something, albeit not too articulately.

"What d'you say?" Toph yelled.

"I said ENOUGH!"

Toph let her shield drop to the ground, along with the stone bullets. They made a beady sound as they fell, nostalgic of rain on a tiled roof. The opponents stared long and hard at each other, until Zuko stepped forward.

"We need to get off this island."


	5. Dang It!

**A/N:** And here's another one! I really am getting bored with the whole deserted-island setting, so we're getting them off the island! So fear not, it's not gonna be like show LOST where they keep finding secret things on the island, like a polar bear or a subdivision or something.

-

-

-

-

-

**Dang It!**

-

-

-

"What," Zuko began dubiously, walking to join the tiny earthbender, "are you doing?"

"What's it look like, Sparky?" She said in a chipper, somewhat gloating fashion. He watched uncertainly as she bent the large slab of stone above her into the shape of an enormous cup. "It's a boat."

Zuko gawked at her like another head had suddenly sprouted out of the side of her neck, eager to discuss philosophy and the purpose of life.

"You got a problem, Princess?" she finally asked, a slight scowl marring her pretty features.

"No. Not at all," he deadpanned. "I just hope you know: rocks can't float."


	6. The Call of Nature

**A/N:** This one's been on my mind for while. I guess now I know why they never send the women off the island in LOST to rescue everybody…

-

-

-

-

-

**The Call of Nature**

-

-

-

Finally. After weeks of carving, hammering, rope-tying, of food preparations, and collecting anything they saw beneficial to their journey, the two benders set sail into the early morning horizon with hope-clouded hearts.

Both reclined against the accommodating boat's wooden sides (at opposite ends, of course; a loose treaty of survival could only push them so far). The calm waves rocked the boat in a steady rhythm, adding to the penetrating sense of tranquility befalling the two benders.

They had thought of everything for their sojourn across the vast ocean. Everything worth taking had been carefully packed, and tied down with their humble means. Zuko had gone so far as to read the stars, with what little navigating ability he had, to set a course for the Earth Kingdom. Nothing had been forgotten, nothing had been left out.

But then, she just _loved_ proving him wrong.

"Um… I have to use the bathroom…"

Women.


	7. Who Said Rocks Can't Float?

**A/N:** … Please, don't ask…

-

-

-

-

-

**Who Said Rocks Can't Float?**

-

-

-

If one were outside on one's dock, one could see the rolling dark clouds cascade across the horizon, leading the choppy waters to the ends of the earth. One might think, perhaps it is a fine time to go fishing, since one knew how frisky the ferret fish became before a storm. In light of this, one might walk inside one's house, grab one's fishing pole, and head back down to the dock. But if one had done so, one would obviously look up as one situated oneself in prime fishing position, after hearing a strangled, high-pitched yelp sounding from the distance.

One would most likely squint one's eyes for a better look, only to find the most peculiar scene: a slab of stone, slanted at an approximate forty-five degree angle, moving a mile a minute and effectively shooting water ten feet in the air in its wake. If one looked harder, one could see a boat—yes, most definitely a boat—propped up against the stone slab.

As the stone slab drew closer to shore, one could make out the figure of a small woman standing on the stone slab. She stood planted to the edge nearest the water, knees bent and hands stretched downward, as if pressing against an imaginary wall. Was she the one moving that stone slab?

The strangled yelp came again, but one would be certain it did not come from the woman. One initially would think the yelp came from a particularly fidgety ferret fish, but as the contents of the wooden vessel became clearer, one could see a man _inside_ the boat.

Poor thing; one could see the man press himself full flush against the boat's bottom, with his eyes firmly shut, and as they approached the neighboring shoreline of one's dock, one would find the man not (only) yelping, but hollering, "Stop! Stop! For the love of all that is holy—STOP!"

And if one kept looking at the odd couple riding their equally odd stone slab, one would eventually see that, yes, they did stop. They stopped against one's wooden, stilted house.

And boy, was one mad…


	8. A Camping We Will Go

**A/N:** Here's another one, but to be honest, I've been forcing everything I've written this past month—I guess I still have writer's block, because I'm not in the mood to write _at all_. But I was really happy with the past few Avatar episodes, on a lighter note: actual Zuko/Toph interaction! Honestly, I thought that would never happen.

-

-

-

-

-

**A Camping We Will Go**

-

-

-

"I'm _so_ _hungry_…"

"Stop saying that," Zuko barked. He trudged along in his new, filched clothes, forcing himself not to wrap his arms around his riotous stomach.

"Ugh, I think I'm gonna _die_ I'm so _hungry_…" Toph mumbled, her eyes staring blankly at the ground. She made a pouting noise. "If I don't eat soon, at least the monkey buzzards will feast tonight…"

"Stop saying stuff like that!" Zuko repeated. He turned around and glared her down. "Okay, fine! Instead of making it to the next village by morning, we'll lose a day and make camp here!" He dropped his bag—also pilfered, along with the supplies inside—and plopped down along beside it. "Happy now?!"

"You know it!" she chirped, sitting down beside him.


	9. Countdown To Sunset

**A/N:** Okay, I've been a little confused about how I'm going to continue this. In the show, Zuko has actually joined Avatar and Co. We all knew it would happen eventually, but it came so suddenly—Zuko and Toph actually have DIALOGUE now—I still don't know how to take it all in fanfiction-wise (not to say I'm not pleased). Also, I'm dedicating this chapter to destinygirl, who made a good point in her review. I hope ya'll enjoy; I'm going back to listening to Numa Numa.

-

-

-

-

-

**Countdown to Sunset**

-

-

-

Toph stared vacantly out the window from where she sat, her head lazily propped up by her elbow. The sun dipped into the earth, burning the sky red and shading the vast city. Shops either closed for the oncoming night, or lit colored lamps that illuminated the dirt streets. She could feel a number of feet stroll or stomp or stride down the lanes, weaving through the buildings, lounging on vacant carts and boxes.

When Zuko placed the bowl of steamed rice before her, she didn't move. Toph couldn't see the setting sun, but she didn't want to take her eyes away from the people. Because there was nothing else to stare at but a bowl of rice. And Zuko.

The prince broke apart his chopsticks, and dove them into his own bowl. He couldn't stand how suddenly pensive and quiet the little earthbender had been since that morning. Not even the restaurant's steaming food could persuade her dull mien otherwise. Zuko cleared his throat. "Do you… miss him?"

Slowly, every so slowly, she cocked her head to the side and raised a brow. "What are talking about?"

"His name's Sokka, right?" he asked.

"You're bringing _that_ up?" she asked, facing him full front. "Look, it was just a slip up; I didn't mean to call you that."

"I know."

"Why would you even bring that up?" Laughing nervously, Toph yanked her wooden utensils apart, and shoveled rice into her mouth as if it were her last meal. "I mean, it's not like I think about him all the time or anything; he's just a friend."

Zuko nodded.

"I've known him for _at least_ four years—I think I've earned the right to 'accidentally let his name slip', right?"

"Um. Sure."

"And besides," she continued. From what Zuko observed, only five grains of rice remained in her bowl. "Of course I'm gonna think of him from time to time. That's normal for friends to do… right?"

"Right," Zuko agreed.

Outside, the sun had set, and the dark, ink sky began to drip downward onto the horizon. The restaurant began to fill with more and more people, growing noisier and warmer. Zuko watched as Toph dropped her head; she gently pawed at the clay bowl with her chopsticks, perhaps to give her hands some sort of distraction.

"There's someone I miss, too," he finally said. She looked up. It was probably the first sincere smile he had seen in a long, long time.


End file.
